Fight or Flight: The 40th Hunger Games
by ElliiLouise
Summary: We all make life-changing choices each day. Predators, prey, hunters, hunted. But when it comes to the pivotal moment, what will you choose? Fight or flight. Make a decision and make it successful, or die trying. *SYOT Open*
1. Prologue I

President Valerius dragged a digit across the glass screen, swapping the panel displayed. His sight was once again clouded with charts and maps and sweet Panem, so many poll results. He hated the damned things, hated them with every fibre of his being. His Games were no longer a way to punish the districts, but indeed a way to temporarily quell the Capitol citizens' insatiable bloodlust.

It was tiresome, in all honesty; each year- hell, even each death had to be more violent and gruesome than the last of viewing figures would plummet. And that was not a situation he was willing to contemplate.

A message flashed onto his screen and a smile broke across Valerius' face. Finally, news from his head Gamemaker. He quickly realised however, that it was more than likely to be just another poll result. He clicked it regardless and began to read, skimming the words so as to return to his previous work.

It took the man a few minutes to fully process what it was that the message was telling him. Yes, it was more poll results, this time about the type of tributes that the citizens preferred. Naturally, there was the ever-present theme of sadistic district-trained Careers as well as plucky underdogs and for once Valerius was annoyed at the people he shared his Capitol. Well, it was hardly for once, but this time it was more prominent annoyance than most days.

The file that was attached to it interested Valerius far more than the poll results, though. It was a spreadsheet, complete with names and ages of twenty four children.

For once, he thought to himself as he scanned the list, the Gamemakers had scraped together an ounce of originality for this year's tributes. Not too repetitive and he was very, very glad for it. He'd been beginning to get a tad bored with the way that Acacius dealt with the Games, although not quite bored enough yet to stop his breath, nor his employment as Head Gamemaker.

President Valerius closed the file without replying. It was rude, he was aware of that and he knew that his mother would scold him if she knew of what he did, but he had more important things to do. With names and ages supplied, he had to complete a full analysis of each of the future tributes. The simple information supplied by Acacius would not be enough if his Games were to go off without a hitch.

He had three weeks to do this fully and was still yet to find out what the arena would be for this year. Valerius was stuck between pride and yet more annoyance when it came to that fact. The fact his Gamemakers were capable of keeping such a monumental thing from him was impressive, especially when considering how many people would be involved in the creation of the arena.

He sat down at his laptop and began typing out the first name and age, wanting to get his research done immediately. There were no barriers on his computer, with all records and databases unlocked and free for him to peruse. Just one of the perks of being President of Panem, Valerius chuckled to himself.

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**A/N: Hello ! So I've been wanting to write an SYOT for a fair while now and am really excited about this. As with the majority of SYOTs, I will be needing twenty four tributes all submitted by you, the lovely writers and readers of this website. The form is available on my profile, along with the additional information that will be needed.**

**However, I would just like to make it known that this will not be first come-first serve and I will not be using just any tributes. I would like lots of diversity, please! The deadline is 1st June but if I do not have all of the necessary tributes by that date the deadline will be extended.**

**I look forward to seeing your tributes soon, hopefully.**


	2. Prologue II

It took Valerius less than two days to have all of the necessary information on his tributes collected. When it was all finished, he breathed a sigh of both relief and satisfaction. He was as prepared as he could be, aside from collecting the information of the inevitable volunteers.

During that period of time he hardly ate or drank, and slept for no more than four hours. Orders were barked at those who attempted to disturb him, Avox and Gamemaker alike.

Acacius hated the man, but even he had to admit that watching the President of Panem when he had a job was intriguing. His concentration was focused entirely on his task and nothing in the whole of the country was going to waver it.

And so Acacius watched him from the safety of his office without him having a clue. It wasn't as if the cameras were big enough to be seen if you weren't didn't know exactly where they were. Hell, even Acacius probably wouldn't be able to find them if the need to ever arose.

Knowing he couldn't spend all the hours of the day watching Valerius, the Head Gamemaker continued with his planning. The construction of the arena was ahead of schedule for the first time since the introduction of the Games, he was sure. The Training Centre had been renovated, along with those roads used for the chariot rides and the stadium that hosted the interviews.

It didn't matter to Acacius that this year was not a special year. But what did it matter that these Games were not the a Quell, when they would go down in history as the greatest in all of Panem's years?

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**A/N: Hey again. Just a quick introductory chapter for our lovely Head Gamemaker Acacius. Chapters will be longer once the tributes are present.**

**With regards to the tributes, I am still missing nineteen of the twenty four tributes, including nine females and ten males. The confirmed tributes are found on my profile, as are the still available places and the submission form. Please do not leave your tribute as a review as I will not be able yo accept them however amazing they may be. PM only guys.**


	3. District One Reaping

**Lazurite Angelo- District One**

It was still dark when Lazurite opened his eyes for the first time. Of course, that may have had something to do with the curtains that covered his window, blocking out the sun's rays. Just maybe.

He swung his legs over the side of his bed and sat up, wiping the sleepy dust from the corners of his eyes. Once stood, Laz pulled on a pair of slightly more presentable trousers- certainly more presentable than the too-small ones he wore to bed- and left his bedroom. Fingers rose to the thin silver chain that hung around his neck, checking that it was still there after the night.

Before he even reached the bottom stair, Laz could hear his mother's shrill voice and his brother's jubilant laughter. Even after two years, he had still not adjusted to the fact it was only the three of them in the house now.

This was reinforced further as he entered the room and saw only the faces of his mother and brother. The former was busy making breakfast, which the former was disinterested in, as was the routine every morning.

"Hematite, you need to eat something!" snapped his mother, placing a small stack of toasted bread on a ceramic plate in front of her elder son, "I don't care if you don't want to that isn't important. The reaping will last long enough for you to be hungry by the end if you do not eat."

An exasperated sigh escaped the youngest Angelo's mouth, quickly stifled by a glare from the oldest. Hematite picked up a piece of toast and smothered it with jam before pulling an aggregated face at Lazurite. It was met with a small smirk and a wink.

"Is Father coming with us today?" Lazurite asked, taking his own piece of bread and applying a thin layer of butter, "Surely he knows what day it is."

His mother took a small breath and shook her head slightly, "I'm sorry, Laz. But we both know what he's like. He'll be at the shop, like he is every day. He's not one to miss a day of trading, your father, so I doubt that he'll be at the reaping until seconds before he must."

Laz, feeling his heart sink with each of his mother's words, cursed under his breath and laced his fingers together. Not that he didn't expect it, it was just that it would be nice for the man to show an interest in him and his brother rather than his apparently precious stones. "It doesn't matter," Lazurite smiled at the woman, "We're used to it by now."

**Chalcedony Williams- District One**

"Can you still breathe, dear?" the dressmaker asked, tying the silk ribbon in a bow and moving away from her customer slightly, as if to admire her own handiwork.

Chalcedony took a breath, feeling the material tighten slightly around her upper torso, and nodded, "As well as I need to."

The woman stood behind her again and with a small smile, put a hand on the small of Chalcedony's back, "Go ahead and step down then, dear. Careful you don't trip. That's it, there we are. Perfect."

A third woman stood from her position in the corner of the room and cleared her throat, as if reminding the pair that she was the most important person in there. "How much will this be costing us, exactly?"

As the dressmaker bustled around, trying to find the price of each of the materials, Chalcedony span in her dress. Fingers ghosted over the pale skirt and a small smile spread across her lips, admiring the beauty. Even for a dress of her district, it was exquisite. Each of the rhinestones were sewn into place and surrounded by intricate decorative stitching.

"Four hundred and fifty," the dressmaker announced, handing the handwritten receipt to Chalcedony's mother, "A discount for our most valued customers." Even Chalcedony, with her lack of general knowledge, knew that this price was less than fair considering they were supposedly 'valued'.

Her mother's train of thought clearly ended in the same place as Chalcedony's and her eyebrows knit together, "Four hundred and fifty? I hope you don't mind me saying, but even for a dress like this, that seems completely unreasonable."

"If there will be problems with paying," the dressmaker smiled empathically and took the receipt back. Chalcedony knew by the way she relaxed that the woman had seen her mother tense up. She had seen the sensitive nerve that had been well and truly hit.

"Nothing of the sort," her mother drew herself up to her full height, increased further by the heels she wore, and snatched the receipt off the dressmaker. When she thrust it back into the woman's hand, it was accompanied by nine gold coins.

"It has been a pleasure doing business with you, Mrs Williams. Chalcedony, dear, you look truly beautiful," the dressmaker led the pair back into the front of her shop, wading through the groups of girls and their mothers buying reaping clothes.

It was close to impossible for Chalcedony to hide a slightly smug smile as she walked in her custom-made dress past those that were only able to afford garments sent from Eight. Her mother had always said that nobody questioned their money, and she finally understood the feeling.

**Lazurite Angelo- District One**

They didn't hold hands on the way to the reaping. He was seventeen and Hematite was fourteen, and they both had reputations to uphold within their district. A future victor could not be seen holding hands with his mother on the day that signified the beginning of his rise to fame. Besides, Laz's friends would be completely relentless if they saw it.

The brothers quickly signed in, Lazurite ruffling the younger Angelo's hair as they separated to meet their friends. After ensuring Hematite was with his friends, he launched himself into the throng of older teens, looking for the eight boys he called friends.

It didn't take long for him to locate the rowdy group, stood in the second section from the front, cracking jokes and laughing at the smallest eligible children and their understandable nervousness. Not that any of the boys in their too big jackets and too long ties- both obviously borrowed from elder brothers or fathers- would get anywhere near Laz's stage.

It took longer for his friends to actually realise he was among them, and even then it was only because he opened his mouth. "Getting busy without me?" he asked, a charismatic smile spreading across his face, "Surely you know it's rude to leave someone out of things like this?"

From then until the moment the doors to the Justice Building's doors opened, little changed. They continued to laugh and joke, relying on Laz to charm the Peacekeepers into forgiving their volume. Of course, that all changed when the living victors, mentors, mayor and finally the Capitol escort dressed entirely in green stepped onto the stage and began the ceremony.

Instinctively, Laz looked around the elder sections of the male potentials, trying to locate anyone that seemed on edge, or tense in any way. The first tense boy to catch his eye was a tall sixteen-year-old, easily the same height or even taller than Lazurite's own 5'10". Laz flashed him a white smile and arched an eyebrow, as if asking how the boy was. The boy shrugged a shoulder and glanced at the glass ball in front of their mayor, who was reading out the Treaty of Treason, so Lazurite mouthed 'good luck' and watched as he got an 'and you' in return. After that, he returned to watching the stage.

Yes_,_ Lazurite decided, he needed all the luck he could get.

**Chalcedony Williams- District One**

As with every previous year, Chalcedony listened very little during the speeches and readings and whatever else they did before the crucial part of the reaping. Quiet conversations ensued, mostly she and her friends discussing those on the other half of the district centre and in particular the group that was focused around a certain jeweller's son.

Honestly, Chalcedony had never seen the appeal with Lazurite, but according to many of her friends, including Melodie and Eloise, he was one of the best things in their district. Each to their own, she had shrugged whenever they mentioned him.

When their escort, Paisley Latrice, stepped up to the pair of glass spheres everyone fell silent, even Melodie and Eloise. Even Lazurite's group.

"As is customary in this grand, grand district, ladies first!" Paisley smiled, thrusting her hand into the sphere closer to Chalcedony and wriggling her jewelled fingers until she reached one that she wanted, "Aha!" She pulled it out and moved to the microphone, "And the first lucky tribute for this year's Hunger Games is… Chalcedony Williams."

It took her a few seconds to register that it was her, that she was Chalcedony Williams. Eloise put a hand on her shoulder and started to turn her towards the aisle separating the genders. She raised her hand above her head and joined the quartet of Peacekeepers in charge of escorting tributes to the stage.

Chalcedony glanced to the back, over the shoulders of the Peacekeepers, as she tried to find her parents. Her attempts were futile; the mass of people made it impossible to see anyone who wasn't stood in the front row. She stopped looking only when she reached the stairs and was helped up by Paisley, jade-nailed hands taking her own.

"Hello, Chalcedony, how lovely it is to have you here," she smiled in her odd Capitol accent, and Chalcedony nodded.

She was still adjusting when the second name was called. As was normal, the number of volunteers could not be counted on one hand, and around nine boys launched themselves towards the stage, each proclaiming they were volunteering as tribute. And as was also normal, the race to the stage got violent very quickly. Paisley flinched visibly, although smiled once again as a single seventeen-year-old stood at the bottom of the wooden steps, panting.

"I… Volunteer as… Male tribute for… District One. I'm Lazurite Angelo." Each word was forced out between deep breaths as Laz rose up the steps to their height. His nose was swollen and already beginning to bruise with a small amount of blood dripping from each nostril. He merely wiped it away with the back of his hand and both Chalcedony and Paisley recoiled.

"District One, I give you, the tributes for the 40th Hunger Games, Miss Chalcedony Williams and Mister Lazurite Angelo," Paisley trilled as Lazurite approached Chalcedony, hand outstretched. When she joined it with her own, he saw him form an almost genuine smile.

"You and me, we're a team, right?" he muttered as he squeezed her hand slightly and smiled at the cameras pointed at them.

She nodded, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

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**A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up! Revision, exams, coursework, all caught up but I'm back now. Unfortunately, I am still in need of an additional 16 tributes, including the District Two male. Without this character, I will be unable to write the next chapter. Thank you very much for reading and if you want to submit a tribute, the list and instructions are on my profile.**


	4. District Two Reaping

**Chanyeol Kanon- District Two**

Chanyeol sat up, rubbing the remaining dregs of sleep from his eyes, basking in the silence of his home. It was not particularly unusual, especially since Sohyun's departure.

The first thing that he saw once his hand was removed from his eye was a crisp white shirt hanging on his door and a chair to the left with a pair of trousers and patent leather shoes. Left as what his mother obviously thought was a subtle reminder of a day that was impossible to forget for him.

Chanyeol stood, lowering his head to avoid the ceiling of his bedroom. He left the room and went downstairs, careful not to make any noise, lest he wake the youngest member of the Kanon family. Even after thirteen years with the girl, it was difficult to stomach Sunhwa this early in the morning.

He unlocked the back door and stepped into the garden, covering the grass in four strides before reaching the wooden shed around halfway down. Without looking, he twisted the number combination lock and ripped it off. Chanyeol thrust his hand into the dark and smiles as his hand touched a wooden handle. His fingers tightened around the object and he retrieved it, suppressing a second smile at the sight of his hatchet.

He shut the door again, not bothering with the lock, and turned to face the makeshift target he had made himself. It was only for use when the academy was not available, but Chanyeol had found it invaluable.

He moved his arm behind his head and flexed his muscles subconsciously, fingers shifting around the handle as he struggled for the best grip.

"You need to be quicker if you're gonna beat those other volunteers today, loser," a sneering voice sounded behind him.

Chanyeol whirled round, the head of the hatchet mere inches from his sister's chest. "Dammit Sun, how many times have I told you not to creep up on me like that! I'll turn round one day and stick it in your chest and then what'll happen?"

"You'll be a murderer and they'll put you down like a dog," Sunhwa sneered, eyes darting to the hatchet pointed at her without even a hint of fear.

Chanyeol lowered his weapon, putting enough force into the throw to stick it in the dry earth. "It'll be your own fault though. I warned you not to sneak up on me."

"Maybe you'd better sit this one out, Chan," Sunhwa said, voice dripping with false caring as she laid a hand on his forearm. Her tone changed as she continued, "Can't bring glory to Two if you can't even throw a hatchet without at least an hour's preparation."

Chanyeol shook her off, "Get back inside, Sunhwa, before I do something I regret."

And as she turned on her heel and retreated back to the house, cackling, Chanyeol itched to just force the blade of his weapon between her shoulder blades and rid himself of Sohyun's presence.

**Kalypso Hillcrest- District Two**

"I volunteer," electric blue eyes stared between lashes. Her head was lowered and she looked up through her eye lashes at her reflection, "I am Kalypso Hillcrest and I volunteer as tribute."

A girlish giggle sounded at the door, "Kally, you know you won't get there before me. I don't know why you're even trying."

Kalypso glared at her twin in the mirror, "If you try, I'll give you a matching scar on the other side of your face. And I'll make damned sure it never, ever heals, bitch."

Aphrodite laughed, finger tracing the thin line on her cheek, "You wonder why Mother prefers me, Kally. Think about it logically, sweetie, would you prefer your evil daughter or the pretty and permanently marked one?"

Kalypso shot her a look so venomous it could kill and went back to repeating the mantra at her reflection. "I volunteer. I am Kalypso Hillcrest and I volunteer as tribute."

Aphrodite slunk out of the doorway and back to her room, shutting the door with more force than was necessary.

Kalypso smirked at her apparent victory over her sister and stopped repeating. It wasn't as if she hadn't done exactly the same on a daily basis since she had decided to volunteer.

A gentle knock on the door and she was out of her seat and running down the stairs in an uncharacteristically enthusiastic manner. The door was already open, but still pulled to, making it difficult to see the man behind it. But she knew who it was.

"Come on through, Atlas," her mother smiled as she opened the door, "Kalypso, I don't understand why you act this way every time he visits."

Atlas nodded and moved through the house to the garden, "Where's the dagger?"

"I'll get it," her mother went upstairs and Kalypso followed her trainer.

"Does she know yet?" Atlas asked, not looking at her. "About either of you?"

His student shook her head, "She'll know today. One of us will be on that stage and it'll be me or I'll die trying."

"That's my girl, Kal. But you need to come off as a fighter and not a psychopath. Bloodlust is reserved for male tributes from Two. Remember that."

Kalypso looked up at the former tribute, "If only it were still you mentoring the tributes. I wouldn't even need to worry."

"You needn't worry anyway. Between those dagger skills and that attitude, nobody in their right mind will even look at you threateningly. You'll be untouchable."

A smirk settled on Kalypso's lips, "Untouchable."

**Chanyeol Kanon- District Two**

The walk to the district centre was short, and the Kanon family went together. Sunhwa and Chanyeol in front, their parents following behind.

Once names were written down- no need for blood in the Capitol's most trusted district- the siblings bid their parents goodbye and made their way over to the appropriate group. Chanyeol quickly found his friends, already boisterous and causing chaos in their age group.

"Quieten down, you noisy bastards," Chanyeol laughed, not meaning his comment at all, but revelling in the heads that turned to look at him. His friends also knew he didn't mean it, judging by their reactions.

The three boys burst out laughing, Yew clapping him on the back, "Oh, Chan, you're a hoot."

Chanyeol smiled in return, moving his arm around his shoulders, "Damn right I'm a hoot! What've you been doing until now, guys?"

Calgary shrugged and jerked his head towards the other side of the district centre, "Chicks are looking hot today. Found one that caught my eye, even."

"So you three been leering at girls like the perverts I know you are?" Chanyeol smirks, glancing over at the girls regardless. "You're right, though. They are looking good. If this doesn't go my way, I might even find one for myself tonight."

This made even more boys look at him, their faces either adoration or disgust. It wasn't as if Chanyeol meant what he was saying, but it got him the attention he thrived on.

He glanced back at the girls, and his eyes settled on the Hillcrest twins, matching curls and icy eyes. He couldn't tell them apart without speaking to one, but it didn't make either of them less attractive.

He continued to stew in his thoughts until Kenton's elbow met his side. "Chan, they're doing the boy first."

And when Chanyeol looked up at the stage, he saw the purple clad escort stood next to the male's pool of tributes.

He pushed his way to the edge of the group, ignoring the whoops and cheers of his posse. Other boys glared at him and he gave them a smirk and sarcastic wave.

The varnished hand of the escort moved into the bubble and moved back out. Chanyeol frowned, trying to remember her name. Adele? Ada? Adrienne? Yes, she was Adrienne.

Adrienne broke the seal and cleared her throat, "The male tribute for the 40th Hunger Ga-"

"I volunteer!" Chanyeol called, interrupting the woman's annoying voice. The few in front of him whipped their heads round to see him as he was escorted to the stairs of the stage by Peacekeepers.

"And your name, Mr Interrupter, would be?" Adrienne asked through pursed lips, folding the piece of paper and slipping it into her pocket.

"Your victor of this year's games. Chanyeol Kanon!"

The trio stood in front of him cheered and whooped as he raised his fist to the air and shook it. When the camera zoomed in on his face, he winked. This was going to be fun.

**Kalypso Hillcrest- District Two**

He was arrogant, Kalypso deduced as Adrienne's hand dipped into the glass bowl in front of her. Dangerously so.

"The female tribute of this year's Hunger Games, joining Mr Kanon, is..." she slid a manicure finger beneath the seal and opened it. "Aphrodite Hillcrest! Where are you, Aphrodite?"

Aphrodite inhaled and moved towards the strip between the two genders. As soon as her foot touched the clear ground, Kalypso opened her mouth.

"I volunteer. I am Kalypso Hillcrest and I volunteer as tribute."

Beside her, Ebony gasped, clapping a hand to her mouth, "Kal, she's your sister! You can't do that to her!"

"She would do exactly the same to me," a smirk settled itself on Kalypso's face as she stepped next to her sister.

The sister who was being restrained by Peacekeepers to stop her lashing out. "You bitch!" she screamed, struggling with all her might, "I'll kill you!"

She sent a sympathetic pout in the direction of her sister and laughed, stepping between her Peacekeeper escorts. She stepped confidently to join Chanyeol and Adrienne, who thrust the microphone at her.

"And your name would be...?"

"Kalypso Hillcrest. I volunteered for my darling sister Aphrodite. Love you, sis!" Every citizen of Panem watching and those who would watch it on the highlights could tell she meant not a single word of her introduction.

"Well, Kalypso, I'm glad you could join us. District Two, meet your tributes for the 40th Annual Hunger Games. Mister Chanyeol Kanon and Miss Kalypso Hillcrest."

The pair turned to face each other, hands outstretched. As they met, Chanyeol smirked, "Bet you think you're a really great bitch for doing that, don't you?" The words were too quiet for anyone but her to hear.

"Careful, Mr Interrupter. Sponsors don't like little boys with dirty mouths. The only gift you'll get is a bar of soap," she smirked back.

He scowled and squeezed her hand far tighter than was necessary. Kalypso looked him in the eye and squeezed back, determined not to break away first or show the throbbing in her hand.

Adrienne separated the pair, a hand in the small of their backs as she ushered them into the Justice Building. As the door opened, Kalypso glanced behind her, eyes seeking her sister.

It didn't take her long to find Aphrodite, stood with her mother. Her hair was mussed up and her dress creased. There was a cut on her lip, bleeding slightly. But beside her, far more surprisingly, was their mother. Her head nodding slightly in approval.

Kalypso's head moved back round and she smiled. This was too easy. Just too easy.

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**A/N: Hey again. District Two is up and live, yay! Three will be up soon (fingers crossed!) but I still need a variety of tributes for both genders, including the District Three girl who is needed for the next chapter. The full list of accepted and still needed tributes is on my page, along with the form and also a poll, which I would love for you to fill out. Very useful for future updates (not quite yet, but it will be). Thanks for reading, everyone!**


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